EP0539308B1 - Publicity board with movable prismatic members - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to advertising panels comprising a plurality of movable prism-shaped members arranged side by side vertically or horizontally. Advertising panels of this type are very popular because they allow the presentation of three advertising images in sequence in the same space, which makes it possible to triple the advertising messages.

The present invention relates more particularly to a mechanical device for driving these mobile members inside the advertising panel. This drive device is designed to transmit a cyclic or alternative rotation to the movable members arranged side by side.

Devices of this type are known which generally comprise, for the rotational drive of the movable members, either a transmission by toothed belts, or an electronic system associated with each of the members.

The transmission mechanisms have certain drawbacks, because on the one hand they emit a non-negligible noise during the rotation of the organs, and on the other hand do not allow precise stops of the prisms especially when the latter have a high inertia and cannot not achieve "wave effects" during their rotation.

The electronic drive systems are constituted by a series of electric motors in a number equal to that of the mobile members, each motor being controlled by means of an electronic card. These systems allow "wave effects" and programming of the exposure time of each poster to be very easy to use. However, electronics do not support wet environments well, which causes short circuits and breakdowns of electronic cards or electric motors.

Also known from patent application EP 0.162.254 is an advertising panel formed by a series of mobile prism-shaped members arranged side by side. The panel comprises drums comprising on their periphery fingers also distributed angularly with respect to each other to rotate the movable members around their axis. In addition, the advertising panel includes means for transmission provided between the drums and the moving parts.

Such an advertising panel has certain drawbacks with regard to the immobilization and imprecise rotation of the movable members in the form of prisms.

It is to these drawbacks that the present invention more specifically intends to remedy, which relates to an advertising panel provided with a mechanical device for the cyclic rotation drive of the prism-shaped members by means of independent modules, the number of which is identical to that of the said organs. These independent modules are aligned along a horizontal or vertical axis in order to constitute the motor shaft of the device. This arrangement makes it possible to obtain a silent rotation and to achieve any desired "wave effect".

• d'un arbre moteur constitué par une série de modules interchangeables indépendamment les uns des autres qui comprennent chacun un boîtier pourvu d'ailes qui sont percées chacune d'un alésage coaxial et une came à hélice de forme cylindrique placée entre les ailes du boitier et qui est solidaire en rotation d'un arbre cannelé ou hexagonal convenablement guidé axialement dans des manchons complémentaires disposés dans les alésages du boitier et dont l'un au moins des manchons assure la liaison avec l'arbre d'un module voisin.
• et des doigts solidaires des tambours ou étoiles de manière que lesdits doigts viennent en contact avec la came à hélice du module correspondant afin de transmettre la rotation cyclique, et l'arrêt de l'organe.

According to the present invention, the transmission means are constituted

• a motor shaft constituted by a series of modules interchangeable independently of each other which each include a housing provided with wings which are each pierced with a coaxial bore and a cam with a helix of cylindrical shape placed between the wings of the housing and which is integral in rotation with a grooved or hexagonal shaft suitably guided axially in complementary sleeves arranged in the bores of the housing and of which at least one of the sleeves ensures the connection with the shaft of a neighboring module.
• and fingers integral with the drums or stars so that said fingers come into contact with the propeller cam of the corresponding module in order to transmit the cyclic rotation, and the stopping of the member.

• Fig. 1 est une vue en perspective avec arrachement illustrant un panneau publicitaire pourvu d'organes mobiles prismatiques.
• Fig. 2 est une coupe verticale à grande échelle suivant II-II (fig. 1), illustrant le profil de la came à hélice du dispositif suivant l'invention.
• Fig. 3 est une coupe horizontale avec arrachement et à plus petite échelle suivant III-III (Fig. 2) montrant deux des modules indépendants du dispositif. On y a indiqué en II-II le plan de coupe de fig. 2.
• Fig. 4, 5, 6 et 7 représentent des variantes d'exécution.

The appended drawing, given by way of example, will allow a better understanding of the invention, the characteristics which it presents and the advantages which it is capable of providing:

• Fig. 1 is a cutaway perspective view illustrating an advertising panel provided with prismatic movable members.
• Fig. 2 is a vertical section on a large scale along II-II (fig. 1), illustrating the profile of the propeller cam of the device according to the invention.
• Fig. 3 is a horizontal section with cutaway and on a smaller scale along III-III (Fig. 2) showing two of the independent modules of the device. We indicated in II-II the plan of section of fig. 2.
• Fig. 4, 5, 6 and 7 represent alternative embodiments.

In fig. 1, there is shown an advertising panel 1 essentially comprising a metallic structure or frame 2 which comprises a rectangular opening 3 in which is housed a series of movable members 4 in the form of a prism, arranged so that their axis is oriented either vertically, either horizontally.

In the example envisaged, each movable member 4 is presented along a vertical axis and shows in cross section a profile in the form of an equilateral triangle, comprising three display faces 40, 41 and 42 (fig. 3). Each of these faces includes an image which must be presented for a fixed period to the public.

To this end, the members 4 are arranged side by side to rotate around their vertical axis so that their respective faces 40, 41 and 42 are cyclically in the same display plane.

In fig. 2, there is shown in section the lower horizontal bar 20 belonging to the metal structure 2. This bar 20 has a U-shaped profile so that its opening 21 is on the same side as the rectangular opening 3 of the advertising panel 1 ; this opening 21 was assumed to be closed by a removable plate 23.

Inside the bar 20 is housed a mechanical device 5 for driving the movable members in rotation 4. Each member 4 has at its upper end (not shown) a pivot.

At the lower end of each movable member 4 is provided a plastic tip 43 in which is fixedly mounted a vertical axis 50, for example by means of grooves or a hexagonal profile.

The axis 50 opens out inside the horizontal bar 20 so that it is guided axially in two bearings 60 and 61 of a housing 6, while the face 66 of the latter is integral with said bar 20.

Between the two bearings 60 and 61 of the axis 50 is mounted free in rotation a drum 51 or a star which comprises on its periphery three fingers 52, 53 and 54 oriented at 120 ° relative to each other and arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum. A dog 55 is provided above the drum 51 and secured to the shaft 50 by means of a pin, grooves or the like. The dog clutch 55 cooperates with the drum 51 by means of three V-shaped teeth 56 which are unevenly distributed in order to obtain a single indexing position.

At each movable member in the form of a prism 4 and perpendicular to the axis of the drum 51 or star is provided an independent module 7, arranged so as to constitute with the device 5 a wheel and worm system. All of these modules are aligned along the same horizontal axis in order to produce a motor shaft which is rotated by a single motor M (fig. 3).

For the sake of clarity and understanding, only one module 7 will be described, since the others are identical.

Each module 7 essentially comprises a cam 70 of cylindrical shape which will be described below, mounted, by its bore 70a provided grooved or of square, hexagonal or other section, on an axis 71 of complementary section.

Each axis 71 is guided in two sleeves 72 and 73 of complementary shape, themselves axially retained in two horizontal bores 62 and 63 formed in the vertical wings 64 and 65 of the housing 6.

The cam 70 of each module 7 is therefore placed between the wings 64 and 65 so as to cooperate perfectly with the fingers 52, 53 and 54 of the drum or of the star 51 secured to each corresponding movable member 4. It is noted that the axial guides of the cam 70 and of the drum 51 are produced in the same housing 6, so as to eliminate any defect in perpendicularity between the two axes of rotation.

It will be noted that the grooved or hexagonal sleeve 73 of each module 7 makes it possible to couple with the grooved or hexagonal axis 71 of the adjacent module 7, so as to constitute the drive shaft of the drive device.

Each module is positioned relative to its neighbor by means of clips 8 which come to bear against the external faces of the sleeves and inside grooves formed in the grooved axes.

Thanks to the presence of the sleeves and clips, the modules 7 are easily removable and interchangeable independently of each other.

The cam 70 of each module 7 has a particular profile making it possible to carry out a first phase called "stop phase" and a second phase called "rotation phase".

The stopping phase of the corresponding prism-shaped movable member 4 is achieved by the fact that the cam 70 has a cylindrical zone over two thirds of its periphery and that the sides on this zone consist of two chamfers 74, 75 forming between them an angle of 120 °. On these chamfers 74 and 75 come to bear the two cylindrical fingers 52 and 53, so as to immobilize in rotation the drum or star 51 and consequently the movable member in the form of a prism 4 for two thirds of a turn.

The phase of rotation of the corresponding movable member 4 is carried out on the remaining third of a turn of the cam 70 by means of a helical groove 76 opening on either side on the chamfers 74 and 75, and two ramps in projection 77 and 78 provided respectively in the extension of chamfers 75 and 74.

Consequently, the ramp 77 repels, for example, the finger 53 during 30 ° of rotation, so that the finger 52 penetrates inside the helical groove 76 which continues the movement by pushing the finger 52 during the remaining 90 ° , until the finger 54 comes to rest on the ramp 78 then on the chamfer 74.

The profile of the ramp 77 provided on the chamfer 75 of the cam 70 makes it possible to obtain, during the rotation of the corresponding movable member 4, a uniformly accelerated movement.

In fig. 4 and 5, a first variant of the mechanical device 5 has been shown for the cyclic drive of the movable members 4. In this variant, the drive device 5 is provided in the upper bar 22 of the frame 2 and is held by means of a yoke 9 in the shape of a U whose bottom 91 is integral with said bar 22 while the structure and the principle of assembly remain identical and one will keep the same references; only the profile of the propeller cam and the number of fingers on the drum change. Consequently, the new propeller cam 700 has two lateral chamfers 710 and 720 which are in contact with two of the six fingers referenced 520 to 570 of the new drum or star 510.

The periphery of the cam 700 is provided concave and has a circular groove 730 which is provided on two thirds of its periphery and in which the finger 520 circulates, for example. This groove is extended by two symmetrical propellers 740 and 750 in order to achieve the phase of rotation of the drum or of the star 510 and therefore of the movable member 4.

Between the two propellers is provided a helical groove 760 which allows for example the cylindrical finger 530 to pass on the other side of the cam 700, while being constantly guided during the 120 ° rotation of the drum or the star 510. This variant makes it possible to obtain a reversible cyclic drive device, since the cam 700 is symmetrical.

In fig. 6 and 7, a second variant of the mechanical device 5 is shown for the cyclic drive of the movable members 4. The structure and the mounting principle remain identical to those described in FIG. 4 and 5, only the external profile of the propeller cam changes, while the drum or the star is similar to that of the first variant.

Consequently, only the references of the new cam 700 'will change.

The latter comprises in its median plane a rib 710 ′, with inclined sides forming an angle of 60 °, which extends first of all over two thirds of its periphery, then, said rib 710 ′ extends at each of its ends by a curved ramp 720 'which determines the phase of rotation.

The side 720 ′ has a ramp 720 ′ for example pushes the finger 570 outside, while the finger 520 is in abutment against the other flank 720 ′ b and enters a first groove 730 ′, in turn giving it a push. The finger 530 ′ then enters a second groove 740 ′, with sides 750 ′ and 760 ′, which causes a continuous rotation of the drum or of the star 510. The fingers 530 and 540 then bear on the sides of the rib circular 710 'to carry out the next stop phase. As in figs. 4 and 5, the cam 700 'is symmetrical in order to make the drive device reversible.

It will be noted that the device described is entirely made of composite materials, which makes it possible to considerably reduce friction and noise. The duration of rotation of the prism-shaped movable members 4 is fixed for a selected speed of the motor and a determined profile of the cams 70, 700 or 700 ′. On the other hand, the presentation time of each poster can be extended at will by causing the engine to stop during the period of immobilization of the drums or stars 51 or 510.

The rotation of the movable member 4 of a module can be delayed compared to the previous module and thus step by step, so as to create a "wave effect". This is obtained by an angular offset in the orientation of the grooves or the hexagonal profile relative to the propeller of two consecutive cams.

In particular, the beams 20, 22 could be inverted or arranged vertically in the case where the prisms 4 have their horizontal pivot axis. Similarly, the number of faces of each prism can be different from that described, subject to adapting the number of fingers of each drum to the desired angle of rotation.

Claims (9)

1. Publicity board formed by a series of movable prismatic elements (4) disposed side-by-side, of the kind comprising, on the one hand, movement generating means which comprise drums or stars which have on their periphery, digits equally spaced relative to one another, so as to make said movable elements turn around their axis so that the faces of each element are disposed cyclically in a unique display plane, and on the other hand, transmission means provided between the movement generating means and the movable prismatic elements, characterised in that the transmission means are comprised of:

   a drive shaft constituted by a series of modules (7) which are independently interchangeable for one another which each comprise one casing (6) provided with blades (64 and 65) which are each pierced with a coaxial bore (62 and 63) and a helical cam (70,700,700') in the form of a cylinder disposed between the blades of the casing and which is fixed in rotation of a shaft which is channelled or hexagonal (71) conveniently guided axially in complementary sleeves (72 and 73) disposed in the interior of the casing and of which at least one of the sleeves provides the connection with the shaft (71) of a neighbouring module (7);

   and digits (52,53,54,520 to 570) fixed to the drums or stars (51,510,510') in a way in which said digits come into contact with the helical cam (70,700,700') of the corresponding module (7) in order to transmit the cyclical rotation and stop the element (4).
2. Board according to claim 1, characterised in that the helical cam (70) of cylindrical form comprises on the two thirds of its periphery two lateral bevels (74,75) which between them form an angle of 120° and which respectively extend to a projecting ramp (77,78).
3. Board according to claim 2, characterised in that the helical cam (70) comprises on the remaining third of its periphery a helicoidal groove (76) opening between one and the other of the lateral bevels (74 and 75).
4. Board according to claim 1, characterised in that the lateral bevels (74,75;710,720;720'a,720'b) of the helical cam (70,700,700') are always in contact with at least two digits of the drum (51,510,510') during the stationary phase.
5. Board according to claim 1, characterised in that each drum or star (51) comprises a dog (55) having teeth (56) conforming to a "V" shape and which are unequally spaced in order to obtain a single indexing position.
6. Board according to claim 1, characterised in that the helical cam (70,700,700') is symmetrical to allow a reversible drive.
7. Board according to claim 1, characterised in that the helical cam (700) comprises in its median plane and on the two thirds of its concave periphery a circular channel (730) which extends between two symmetrical helices (740 and 750).
8. Board according to claim 7, characterised in that a helicoidal groove (760) is provided between the two symmetrical helices (740 and 750).
9. Board according to claim 1, characterised in that the helical cam (700') comprises in its median plane and on the two thirds of its periphery a rib (710') with inclined walls (720'a, 720'b) which extends to each of its extremities by a curved ramp (720').

Images